13 Responses

Thanks so much for featuring my video. Our Great Pyrenees watch over every birth. They will not let anyone but us close to the newborn as they are livestock guardians. I have been watching and delivering llama babies for almost 30 years. I am in awe each and every time.
Please play this music at my funeral.
Teri, thanks for posting my video. xoxoxo

Thank you Teri, that was awesome. Pella’s due anytime around May 8th, my first cria, still pretty nervous, but I know 90% of the time, they take care of it themself. Its pretty cool-the way different species give birth. My sheep gave birth by themselves (although next year we’ll put the video monitor on-hopefully we won’t lose any). With the exception of the kidding on Tuesday, I been to every one of my goats births. Most of the time, I’m just there for moral support for mom. I do usually ease the babies to the ground, I’ve always got
the towels ready to clean off the mouth, then I move them to the front of mom and let her finish cleaning them off. The fluids actually helps stimulate her to continue birthing (although they usually are well on the way without it). Then I catch the next one. Once mom is done and the kids are ready to nurse, I make sure there is milk flow and point the kids in the right direction (and they usually need help!!). Do I need to be there? Probably not, but I enjoy it, all my goats are bonded to me and its always nice to have your mom there and I increase my chances for live kids by being there. And when there is a problem, it saves time and pain to be there to assist.
When a new life enters the world, its the most awe inspiring experience and I never forget how lucky I am to be part of it on a regular basis. One of my first goat babies just had her babies this week, she and her kids moved in to my house (I need more kidding pens). Although she was a little clueless about the whole thing, with my help she now cares for her two little ones like an old pro. There isn’t much better than laying on the floor with two generations of my heart right next to me.
This llama birth was really good (although I hate Nickelback-the background music). There is one llama birth video on YouTube that is awful. You watch the whole thing and its only at the end that it says that the cria was months premature and not viable. I was sick the rest of the day. That was a person with too much time on their hands.
Here’s to healthy crias, both yours and mine.

AnnMarie – We are truly blessed to be able to experience this. I, too, am in awe. I’ve witnessed three births (and yes, I wipe the nose and mouth, and check the umbilical cord/dip it too), and felt pretty lucky about it because I know folks who have been raising llamas for years and have yet to witness a birth – because it happens so quickly.
I’ve heard the name, Nickelback, but am so stuck on Sugarland and other country pop these days, that I’ve never heard it. I actually liked it (much to my surprise) and the more I watch the video, the moe I like it – go figure!
Yes – to healthy crias! And I’m here for you, AnnMarie!

Teri & Karen,
Thank you for the video – that was amazing. I love the images with the puppies and the cria. The puppies were so gentle and sweet with her.

So this is my question: the llamas feel comfortable with the dogs? Teri mentioned that her llamas would stomp a dog/fox/etc. – but Karen, your’s feel SO comfortable with them that they let the puppies lay down right next to the new cria. It is because they were all raised together? But then Teri, I remember you saying once that you thought one of your llamas was rearing up on your Aussie (did I remember that correctly)- and they had been close prior. And finally, Karen, do you have a video or picture of the cria a couple of days/weeks later or so, so we can see her standing and solid? Thank you!

Mary Lou – Great post! I’m sure Karen and other LGD breeders will be better able to answer your questions, but I’ll share my thoughts. Great Pyrs are guardian animals. They are wired to protect livestock. Experienced GP breeders/trainers know what they are doing and I believe use trained GPs to help them train the puppies.
I know a few farms with GPs for livestock guardians and I’m amazed, impressed, and jealous at the same time! The dog my LaLa (in the photo with me) grew up with and then tried to stomp when she (LaLa) was a year old, was an Australian Shepard – a herding dog. I did not see or notice anything different on our walk, but in retrospect I’m thinking part of his herding instinct fell into place and while I didn’t notice it, perhaps she did and felt threatened – her instincts.
I know quite a few people with dogs (all different breeds) that are allowed with their llamas/alpacas/livestock.
For me, that experience was enough to keep my ‘pet’ dogs away from my llamas. I’m not in an area, nor do I have so many acres that I feel the need for an LGD (but a Great Pyr would be sooooo cool).
Jane, my Portuguese Water Dog, loves everything (she sleeps with the chickens and licks their faces), so she would probably be just fine with the llamas, and my Bearded Collie is wired with the ‘duh’ factor, and would steer clear anyway. But, as I said, for me – unless I added and received training to own a LGD – I feel better keeping my dogs out of the paddocks and pasture. They have invisible fence and three acres to run – they can see the llamas and vice versa, and all is good.
Still – especially after watching the video – I’m awash in drools over those GPs!!!

Llamas and alpacas are prey animals. They aren’t naturally comfortable with any predator, but they can learn. If you’re going to get a guard or herding dog that has been bred as a working dog and raised with the animals they’re going to be herding/guarding. So look for GP’s that are raised on an alpaca ranch. Animals that have several generations as show or house animals (no time spent working) may not be the right choice.

The dogs should be gradually introduced to the herd and not left along with them until they’ve demonstrated that they are subservient to the herd. If you go over to the yahoo group site, there are a number of LGD groups that can provide tons of info.

That was simply beautiful. The gentle attention of the dogs, and the gathering of the other llamas suddenly reminded me of the story, “The Animal’s Christmas Eve”…”and every beast bows low its head, for one small babe…”. What a miracle of life. And it made me cry.

Wow, I can’t believe what an easy time the llama had and the other llamas and the dogs seemed to help with baby. Wonderful.

Takes me back. I spent the summer I was 12 on my uncle’s dairy farm and got to see a calf born. 40 years later, this is still one of my fondest memories but that cow did not have no where near as easy a time. I think she was having some difficulty with the birth because I vividly remember my uncle and cousin tying rope to the hooves and pulling the calf out! But it was still awesome.

I’ve seen a lot of kittens born because even off the farm, my mother couldn’t seem to break herself of the habit of keeping one female and one male cat. You could not have convinced her to spay or neuter though she should have. All my uncles kept cats in the barns on their dairy farms to the extent that I always expect to see them and am amazed if I hear of a farmer who doesn’t.

I think farm kids are lucky in that they see this natural circle of life and take it for granted. They don’t seem to ask nearly as much uncomfortable questions as city kids about where babies come from because it doesn’t seem strange to them at all. Awesome sure but also perfectly natural.